Sudan and South Sudan Strike Deal on Oil Fees

SIMON MAINA/AFP/GettyImages(WASHINGTON) — The Obama administration Saturday lauded an oil revenue deal between Sudan and South Sudan. The two former civil war foes came to an agreement Friday on fees for landlocked South Sudan to export its oil through Sudan’s pipeline.

The deadline set by the U.N. Security Council for the two neighboring countries to strike a deal passed on Thursday, The Los Angeles Times reports. Both nations faced sanctions if they failed to find a resolution.

On Saturday as he celebrated his 51st birthday at Camp David, President Obama congratulated the two countries in a written statement for finding compromise on the issue and applauded the international community for encouraging efforts to reach a resolution.

“This agreement opens the door to a future of greater prosperity for the people of both countries,” the president said.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also welcomed the agreement while traveling through Kenya, saying that the deal “reflects leadership and a new spirit of compromise on both sides.”

Secretary Clinton said the deal was particularly important to “establishing strong democratic institutions” in South Sudan, which gained its independence in July 2011.

“South Sudan’s leaders led by President Salva Kirr have really risen to the occasion for which they deserve a great deal of credit,” Clinton said.